1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to heat exchangers and more particularly to apparatus for supporting a heat exchanger formed of opposed headers with finned tubes extending therebetween, the heat exchanger being supported between spaced paralleled horizontal structural members. The invention is specifically directed to means for supporting the heat exchanger in a manner such as to permit limited movement of the headers but to prevent the heat exchangers from being displaced from their structural supports.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heat exchangers have been attached to supporting structures in a variety of ways. In transporting a heat exchanger from the point of manufacture to the point of installation the exchanger must be securely anchored to its structural support. For this reason a typical means of mounting a heat exchanger header to a supporting structure is the use of bolts. The typical heat exchanger includes opposed parallel headers with finned tubes therebetween arranged for air to be drawn through the finned tube. Thus each header must be bolted to the structure which supports it during shipment. A common pratice is to bolt both headers of the heat exchanger with instructions that the bolt from one of the headers must be removed before the exchanger is placed into operation to allow for contraction and expansion of the heat exchanger tubes. The finned tubes extending between headers expand when the hot liquids flow through them. If both headers are bolted securely, the tubes will buckle, causing them to fail.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved means of anchoring a heat exchanger to its supporting structures.
More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide means for anchoring a heat exchanger comprised of opposed parallel headers with horizontal finned tubes extending therebetween arranged in such a way that the headers are not bolted or welded to their supporting structure but are free-floating to allow for expansion and contraction of the finned tubes while nevertheless maintaining the heat exchanger securely affixed to its supporting structure.
These general objects as well as other and more specific objects of the invention will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.